In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimages with Shantum Seth across India and South Asia. Other spiritual journeys that transform. Mindful travel.
Tibetan |
The Tantric Buddhism of the Himalayas; its best-known teacher is the Dalai Lama |
-
0 comments
Tortoise Steps
Practicing dharma is necessarily a frustrating business. What practitioners, especially beginners, often fail to realize is that frustrations are the signposts of our success. An exasperating lack of concentration, devotion, or inspiration might be just what you need to make the extra effort to tune in to your practice fully. Alternatively, of course, it may topple you in the other direction and stop you practicing altogether—a temptation you must resist at all costs. Always remember, though, that frustration with your spiritual path is often an indication that you are becoming a genuine dharma practitioner. More » -
5 comments
The Fundamental Ambiguity of Being Human
As human beings we share a tendency to scramble for certainty whenever we realize that everything around us is in flux. In difficult times the stress of trying to find solid ground—something predictable to stand on—seems to intensify. But in truth, the very nature of our existence is forever in flux. Everything keeps changing, whether we’re aware of it or not. What a predicament! We seem doomed to suffer simply because we have a deep-seated fear of how things really are. Our attempts to find lasting pleasure, lasting security, are at odds with the fact that we’re part of a dynamic system in which everything and everyone is in process. More » -
2 comments
As the Clouds Vanish
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920-1996) was a master in the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Teachers of Dzogchen (the GreatPerfection) regard it as the innermost essence of the Buddha's teachings. During the last decades of his life, Rinpoche's hermitage above the Kathmandu Valley was frequented by visitors from all over the world. Today, his many monasteries and retreat centers are managed by his four sons who are lineage holders, including Tsoknyi Rinpoche. More » -
Practices to change your life: What are you waiting for?
The great thing about Ken McLeod's series on the 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva is that these 5-minute videos manage to pack in a complete teaching and include a practice you can begin right now. "What are you waiting for?" Ken asks. They may just change the course of your day if not your life. From Ken's commentary this week on Verse 35: Patterns of emotional reactions are expert at one thing: survival ... They may have been effective coping mechanisms in the immediate circumstances in which they formed, but they are now deeply habituated dysfunctional patterns ... To crush a reaction all you have to do is experience it completely without being consumed by it. Watch Verse 35 below for a fuller explanation of the application of this simple but powerful practice. No promises of immediate enlightenment, however. As Ken points out, these are practices for a lifetime. Still, the pracitce itself is its own reward. More » -
How to practice right speech
It's not enough to simply resolve to speak only what is "truthful, helpful, kind and timely." After all, we scarcely know which of the hundreds of voices in our head is going to "grab the mic" next. Vajrayana teacher Ken McLeod suggests we begin with a pretty straightforward method in his discussion of verse 34 of the 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva. Here's how it works: When you speak, listen to the sound of your own voice as if you are listening to another person talk. When you do this you hear immediately when what you are saying or how you are saying it is out of sync with the situation. If you are angry but aren't unaware of it, you hear the edge in your voice...you also hear when there's fear...or when you are trying to sell someone an idea, or when you are trying to seduce someone against their will.... There will be a little insistence or insincere charm in your voice. You may be surprised to hear your mother or father speaking..." More » -
4 comments
Swimming in the Infinite
Robert A. F. Thurman is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University. A former Tibetan Buddhist monk—the first Westerner ever to be so ordained—he is the cofounder and current director of Tibet House in New York City. For decades he has been a close friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a prominent champion of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan cause. He has translated classic texts from Tibetan to English and is the author of numerous books, most recently Circling the Sacred Mountain (Bantam, 1999) and Inner Revolution (Penguin, 1999). This interview was conducted at his office at Columbia University. More »
